Ronald Mathews (December 2, 1935, in New York City – June 28, 2008, in Brooklyn) was an American jazz pianist who worked with Max Roach from 1963 to 1968 and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He acted as lead in recording from 1963 and 1978–79. His most recent work was in 2008, as both a mentor and musician with Generations, a group of jazz musicians headed by veteran drummer Jimmy Cobb. He contributed two new compositions for the album that was released by San Francisco State University's International Center for the Arts on September 15, 2008.
In his twenties, Mathews toured internationally and recorded with Roach, Freddie Hubbard and Roy Haynes. He was also a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in 1967 and 1968. By thirty, he began teaching jazz piano and led workshops, clinics and master classes at Long Island University in New York City. In the 1970s, whe worked with Dexter Gordon and Clark Terry, and toured and recorded with the Louis Hayes-Woody Shaw Quintet and the Louis Hayes-Junior Cook Quintet.[2]
One of the highlights of his career, and one of his longest associations, was with the Johnny Griffin Quartet. For almost five years (1978-1982) he was an integral part of this band and forged lasting relationships with Griffin, Kenny Washington (drums) and Ray Drummond (bass). The New York Times described Mathews as "a constant and provocative challenge to Mr. Griffin. [...He] is the energizer of the group".[3] One of the few Johnny Griffin recordings that features Mathews' original compositions is "To the Ladies" (Galaxy).
In the 1980s, Mathews began leading his own bands, performing in duo, trio and quartet configurations in North America and Europe. He also toured with Freddie Hubbard and Dizzy Gillespie's United Nations Band. Mathews was pianist for the Tony Award winning Broadway musical, Black and Blue in 1989, and, in 1990, he was one of the artists who featured on the soundtrack of Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues film.[4]
After a stint touring and recording with the Clifford Jordan Big Band in the early 1990s, Mathews joined T.S. Monk for eight years of touring and recording. The Chicago Tribune stated that "The soul of the band [...] is pianist Ronnie Mathews, whose angular romanticism provides the horn players with a lush and spicy foundation for their improvising".[5] Three albums were recorded with the T.S. Monk, Jr. Band, including Charm. Mathews died of pancreatic cancer on June 28, 2008, in Brooklyn.
In 1998, Hal Leonard Books published his collection of student arrangements: "Easy Piano of Thelonious Monk".
